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The foundation of a strong democracy rests on high quality public education that serves all students, not just some. Yet across the nation, we’re witnessing a coordinated effort to strip our schools of the very elements that make education meaningful and effective for every child. Here in Maine, we stand at a crossroads, and the path we choose will have lasting consequences on the future of our children and our state.
Quality education isn’t just about test scores and resources–it’s about preparing our young people to understand and thrive in the world around them. When we talk about inclusive education, we’re not discussing an ideology; we’re talking about the basic idea that every child deserves to see themselves reflected in their learning materials and feel welcomed in their classroom.
Decades of research tells us that students who don’t see themselves represented in the curriculum are less likely to be engaged in learning and less likely to graduate. At the same time, students who feel connected with what they’re learning are more likely to stay in school, to pursue higher education, and to contribute positively to their communities.
Yet across the country, we’ve seen unprecedented efforts to limit what students can read, learn, and do in school. In the last four years, the U.S. has seen hundreds of bills to take books off shelves, remove LGBTQ people from curriculum, and avoid talking about race or racism. We’ve also seen the catastrophic results of these bills: record-high teacher turnover, costly legal battles, and declining student achievement and well-being.
At the center of the debates about these laws is humanity. Do all students deserve to feel whole, respected, and understood in school, or only some? Some state leaders across the country have argued the latter: only some stories should be taught, only some voices should be heard. When it comes to learning, students should have little say.
Maine is among the states yet to enact a restrictive education bill, but we cannot take this for granted. We need leaders who will not only focus on improving school funding or updating facilities, but who will actively and forcefully stand against these coordinated attempts to restrict education. We need champions who will fight back against book bans, curriculum restrictions, and any effort to silence diverse voices in our classrooms. Our teachers are already doing the challenging work of educating the next generation with limited resources. They need to be supported, not attacked. Maine teachers need leaders who understand that preparing students for the future means giving them the tools to understand and appreciate different perspectives and experiences.
Maine has long prided itself on its pragmatic approach to governance and its commitment to community values. Our small towns and cities are strengthened by our ability to work together despite differences. But whether or not every child deserves respect and opportunity should not be one of those differences. Every child who walks through our school doors deserves to feel safe, valued, and capable of success. This isn’t a radical proposition – it’s the bare minimum we should expect from our education system and from our leaders.
This commitment to inclusive education is particularly crucial now, as Maine’s demographics continue to shift. Our state has welcomed new Americans from across the globe, bringing value to our communities and economies. From Lewiston to Portland and Augusta to Bangor, our schools are serving students from increasingly diverse backgrounds. These changing demographics aren’t just statistics – they represent real families who have chosen to make Maine their home, contributing to our economy and enriching our cultural fabric.
In our small towns and tight-knit communities, schools serve as more than just educational institutions – they’re the heart of our civic life. They’re where neighbors connect, build community, and receive vital support. This hyperlocal nature of Maine education makes it even more critical that our schools remain welcoming spaces for all students.
As we look to the election and beyond, we must ask ourselves what kind of Maine we want to build. Will we follow the restrictive path taken by other states, or will we stand firm in our commitment to educational excellence for all? The choice is clear: Maine needs leaders who won’t just stay neutral, but who will actively defend inclusive education and fight to protect our teachers’ ability to serve every student. Investing in comprehensive, inclusive education isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s essential for students and our democracy.
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